Category: Work Life
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Lessons Learned From a Frog: How an Amphibian Improved My Life
Once upon a time there were four frogs. They went for a little hop around town. There was a big hole in front of them, but, unfortunately, they didn’t see it until it was too late. All four of the frogs fell into the hole! Immediately after fallin into the hole, the frogs started jumping…
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Blindness and Disability are Popular Themes for October
The fall is my favorite season and time of the year. The weather is cooler. The autumn colors of brown, orange, golden yellow, dark red and green are on display. October is the month when all of this jumps off. But one other thing I recently noticed is the number of blind and disabled observations…
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Its a White Cane Not a Stick
The white cane has enabled me to travel safely and confidently by detecting stairs, sidewalk curbs, doorways and obstacles. It gives me the added security and protection I need so that I don’t stumble, fall or run into things. It identifies me as a person with a vision impairment. When people see my cane, they…
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I’ve Become My Own Tech Support When Working From Home
Although I got a degree in journalism sometimes, I wish I had also gotten one in computer and informational science because I have had to become my own tech support over the years. This is partly due to my disability and using a screen reader on my computer. I have had to learn not only…
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Hadley Provides 100 Years of Remote Learning to the Blind Community
For a century the Hadley Institute for the Blind and Visually Impaired has provided remote learning to the blind community. This is an enormous accomplishment. Even more so in the midst of COVID-19 where distant learning, sheltering in place, social distancing and remote access are becoming the new normal. According to their website, the mission…
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Working and Writing in the Disability Nonprofit World
If someone told me in college while pursuing a journalism degree that 6 months after graduation, I would be visually impaired and later have a career in the disability nonprofit world I would have said they were ridiculous. But that is exactly what happened! During that time, I was laser focused and incredibly ambitious; obtaining…
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AppleVis is My Go-To Resource for the iPhone
I have been an iPhone user for the past 6 years. And to tell you the truth, I came into it kicking and screaming! Back in the day I used either an accessible cell phone specifically for the blind or an old fashion flip phone. Remember those? I had always known about iPhones and how…
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Four Reasons I’m Thankful for the ADA
July 26th will mark the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). It was in 1990 when I was a freshman in college that Former President George H. W. Bush signed this powerful piece of civil rights legislation into law. On that day, with disability advocates and policy makers present, the door was…
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Thank the coronavirus for a Drop in Robocalls
I never realized the magnitude of robocalls I got until I started working from home a couple of years ago. I would be sitting in my home office and the landline phone would ring constantly during the day announcing area codes I had never heard of. Even late in the evening and early on weekend…
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Working from Home Has Been My New Normal
In the last few months many people have had to transition from working in an office to working from home because of the pandemic. Folks have had to make major adjustments to home and work life. They Have had to share space with family, increase WIFI bandwidth, find ways to stay active and deal with…
Empish J. Thomas 